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Ireland: James McCollum, PJ Moor, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Graham Hume, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Andrew McBrine, Paul Stirling, Fionn Hand, Craig Young, Thomas Mayes.

Match Details:

Umpires: Roland Black & Rob White
Match Referee: Peter Such
Toss: Ireland won the toss and elected to bowl
Scorecard: View here
Result: Ireland won by 10 wickets

Day Three Report:

Ireland cruised to victory beating Essex by 10 wickets having been tasked with scoring 232 runs for victory from a minimum 50 overs in the three-day first-class friendly at the Cloud County Ground.

Opening pair James McCollum and PJ Moor made batting look easy as they took full advantage of valuable time in the middle in preparation for the Test match with England at Lord’s that commences on Thursday.

Their partnership set new record figures for the first wicket for Ireland in first-class cricket.

A whirlwind blast of runs either side of the lunch break on an flat track pre-empted the Essex declaration on 307 for 8 before the Irish openers proceeded to dominate the rest of proceedings.

They picked off runs with a number of well-timed drives, some aggressively struck and were rarely troubled by the Essex attack. By the time that the last hour commenced, 53 were required from 15 overs, time both openers to post individual centuries.

Moor completed his hundred from 113-balls that boasted 4 sixes and 11 fours and was 118 at the finish whilst McCollum, who had batted shown more restraint, struck Nick Browne’s leg-spin over the ropes to reach three figures from 134 balls that also embraced 11 boundaries.

Earlier, Mark Adair, one of four Irish players co-opted into the Essex line-up, was the chief aggressor wielding his bat to good effect to oversee a flurry of runs as he worked up an appetite by thumping his fellow countrymen bowlers for 43 in 16 deliveries immediately before the lunch break.

He was joined in the run-fest by Will Buttleman who also carved and drove freely as the pair completed their hundred partnership from 93 balls to give the hosts a lead of 133 at the interval.

The blitz of runs on a now docile pitch continued after the break with Adair flashing his bat to great effect adding another 25 runs from 13 deliveries. He was then dismissed for 85 that included 3 sixes and 11 fours, when caught by the wicket-keeper diving down the leg-side.

He and Buttleman had posted a stand of 124 in 18 overs that carried the score onto 237 for 6 but the departure of the free-hitting Adair failed to bring respite for the bruised Irish bowlers.

Noah Thain strode to the wicket and was soon clearing the ropes. Buttleman completed a 62-ball half-century and celebrated by immediately launching a delivery from Tom Mayes onto the pavilion roof.

Another maximum from Thain took the lead past 200 and the 50 partnership was posted from just 34 balls. Fifteen overs either side of lunch had the score increase by a raceaway 144 runs but with 300 on the board, the declaration looming, Buttleman and Thain fell within five deliveries.

Buttleman flashed at a wider delivery and was caught behind for 65 that included 3 sixes and 6 fours from the 70 deliveries he faced whilst Thain struck out purposefully for 36 from 27 balls before holing out to long-on searching is 4th six to add to three other boundaries. Both batters departed having posted their individual highest first-class scores.

Earlier, resuming on 59 for 2, Essex lost three wickets in the morning session whilst adding 150 runs.

Robin Das added only 5 runs to his overnight score before he was caught at mid-on for 32, whilst the Irish pair of Curtis Campher and George Dockrell both became victims to Mayes for 20 and 26 respectively leaving Adair to take centre-stage.

Graham Hume and Mayes were the most successful bowlers amongst the Ireland contingent returning figures of 3 for 50 and 3 for 55 respectively before settling down to watch their top-order take on the challenge for victory in this warm-up match ahead of the stand-alone Test later this week.

Day Two Report:

A century from experienced Ireland batter Paul Stirling and figures of 5 for 96 by Essex quickie Jamal Richards on first-class debut were the headline performances on the second day of the three-day friendly at The Cloud County Ground.

Ireland were eventually bowled out for 419 having earlier found themselves 65 for 5 and by the close, Essex were 59 for 2  in their second innings trailing by 17 runs.

Stirling struck 107 and figured in a sixth wicket partnership worth 175 with Lorcan Tucker, who fell tantalisingly three runs short of his century, but it was teenager  Richards who shone with the ball.

The 19 year-old Edmonton-born fast bowler, highly rated by the coaching staff at the county justified showed commendable application finding movement, particularly in the morning session and then when taking the second new ball in the evening session.

He passed the bat on a number of occasions that might have seen him earn further reward but the teenager, who followed in the footsteps of the legendary Graham Gooch OBE by attending  Norlington High School, can feel well satisfied with his landmark figures on first-class debut.

Having resumed on 38 for 2, Ireland lost Graham Hume to the sixth ball of the morning as Richards claimed his third wicket of the innings to enjoy figures of 3 for 19 at that stage.

Two further wickets went cheaply, including a stunning third slip catch by Rymell to account for the potentially dangerous Harry Tector but Stirling stepped forward to mastermind a recovery. He had missed the first day’s play fulfilling an obligation to play for Birmingham in a Vitality Blast match on Friday evening but announced his arrival at Chelmsford with a highly responsible innings.

He moved quickly to his fifty having faced 63 balls but then allowed Tucker to play the role of the aggressor and the Irish wicket-keeper fulfilled the role admirably. Working the ball around the field, he reached his half-century from 61 balls and by lunch, the duo had posted an unbroken century partnership spanning 109 balls.

The pair continued to punish the bowling taking advantage of the 60 yard boundary on one side of the ground (the opposite side was 90 yards) with Stirling content to play second fiddle to Tucker.

The latter had reached 96 when he needed lengthy treatment for an attack of cramp in the left forearm but with just one run added to his score, he cut to Josh Rymell at backward point.

New batter Andrew McBrine retained the upbeat tempo racing to a 48-ball half-century shortly before Stirling completed his 8^th first-class hundred. They had just passed the Essex first innings score of 343 when 18 year-old Noah Thain broke the 105 runs liaison when McBrine, on 67, miscued an attempted ball and the ball rolled back onto the stumps to give the bowler a maiden first-class victim.

Richards rejoined the attack taking the second new ball and immediately had Stirling caught at mid-wicket by Thain to leave Ireland 370 for 8. But the final two wickets added 49 runs with Richards adding Tom Mayes to complete his 5-fer.

Left with 16 overs to face in the day, the hosts lost both openers in Hume’s fourth over. The new ball bowler found the edge to have Nick Browne fended outside off stump to be caught behind by Tucker for 21 and four balls later, Josh Rymell departed for 5 when he edged to second slip to leave Essex 29 for 2.

But Essex first day centurion Robin Das continued his impressive form during the remaining 7 overs collecting 4 boundaries in his unbeaten 27 accompanied by Curtis Campher who is 6 not out.

Day One Reaction: Robin Das:

Day One Report:

Robin Das made a stunning introduction to his first-class career when he struck 132 out of the Essex total of 343 all out before Ireland reached 38 for 2 at the close of play on the opening day of their three-day friendly at the Cloud County Ground.

Two of the four Irish guest players for the match, George Dockrell and Mark Adair, posted half-centuries whilst Thomas Mayes returned figures of 4 for 68 for the tourists in their warm-up fixture ahead of next week’s Test against England at Lord’s.

Then Jamal Richards collected to wickets on his first-class debut when Ireland commenced their reply during the final hour of the day.

However, the day belonged to 21 year-old Das, one of a quarter of players in the Essex side making their first-class debuts. The Leytonstone-born right-hander played superbly displaying impeccable timing and technique from the moment he arrived at the crease.

He was soon punching the ball through the field regularly peppering the boundary and looked impressively composed and clinical in shot-selection. Quick on his feet, he showed aggressive instinct to punish any errors of length with brutal authority.

Having posted his half-century from 57 balls, his hundred arrived when he had faced 101 balls and was achieved with the 17th boundary of his innings, a finely executed cut.

The exciting talented Das, who plays his club cricket for Wanstead, was the chief aggressor in a lively liaison with Dockrell as the duo added an entertaining 124 runs in 19 overs.

Dockrell showed a belligerent approach, particularly towards off-spinner Andrew McBrine and first-class debutant and paceman Mayes, racing to his fifty from 70 balls but having added another 24 from 15 balls, he was caught low down at second slip off the bowling of Graham Hume to end an innings that included 2 sixes and 10 fours.

With the Vitality Blast squad preparing for the launch of their T20 campaign that starts next Tuesday, the Essex line-up are being captained by Nick Browne and included four players making their first-class debuts, Das, Eshun Kalley, Richards and 18-year-old Noah Thain who signed his first rookie summer contract earlier this week.

With Ireland anxious to give maximum preparation time to their squad ahead of the stand-alone Test against England at Lord’s next week, four members of the Ireland Test squad were co-opted into the county side, namely Adair, Curtis Campher, Dockrell and Matthew Foster but the fixture retains it’s first-class status.

Invited to bat on a good surface, Browne opened with Josh Rymell who had scored 21 out of the 29 on the board when he went across his stumps to paceman Craig Young and was trapped in front.

Browne was restrained recording just seven scoring shots, including a boundary, in the first hour in the middle during which he had faced 40 balls but shortly after, with 11 runs to his credit, he nicked the medium-fast Mayes’ initial delivery of the match to the wicket-keeper.

Curtis Campher, another of the Irish squad representing Essex, joined Das in a pacy partnership worth 52 runs in 10 overs before he was trapped in the crease by Mayes to leave the hosts 100 for 3 at lunch.

Das and Dockrell made hay in the glorious sunny conditions during the post-lunch session with Das accumulating runs with ease on both sides of the crease including a number of sumptuous drives.

Having crowned his dream debut by reaching three figures, Das launched into overdrive before an extravagant heave against McBrine saw him castled bringing an end to a memorable innings spanning 167 minutes and 118 deliveries, of which he struck 1 six and 21 fours.

Adair joined Dockrell in a partnership of 58 for the fifth wicket taking the score onto 282 and when the latter departed, Adair took over forcing the pace to post a 48-ball 50 containing 3 sixes and 5 fours during which he saw Will Buttleman and Noah Thain go cheaply to Fionn Hand for 1 and 3 respectively.

Adair perished having scored a run-a-ball 62 when he mistimed a pull to deep mid-wicket to leave Essex 341 for 8 whilst the last two wickets added just 2 further runs leaving Jamal Richards 17 not out.

Faced with 16 overs towards the conclusion of the first day, the visitors had reached 26 when Richards raced in to find the edge of the bat having James McCollum caught by Browne for with a regulation first slip catch.

Then in his next over, the 19-year-old fast bowler struck again when Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie pushed at a delivery and was caught at second slip by Dockrell to leave Ireland facing a deficit of 305 when play resumes tomorrow.

Over the years the Vitality Blast has thrown up many surprises and unforgettable moments. It has also made careers and thrust young cricketers into the limelight. But what can we expect to see in 2023? And who is going to catch the eye? We asked six pundits for their thoughts on Essex’s chances, the South Group and who might lift the trophy in July.

Dishing out the verdicts will be Phil Walker, Editer-in-chief of Wisden Cricket Monthly, Dail Mail Cricket Correspondent Paul Newman, BBC Essex Radio Presenter and host of the Around the Wicket podcast Victoria Polley, Martin Smith of the ECB Reporters Network and the Presenter of Essex Cricket TV’s live stream and stadium host, Simon Ward.

Also adding their unique insights cricket content creators, Cricket District, run by Toby Marriott and Jack Meacher, as well as founder of The Cricket Draft, John Welch.

So firstly, how do you rate Essex’s chances ahead of the 2023 campaign?
PW: Last year we saw more evidence of the expansive style that Simon Harmer wants to see from his team. There were four batters in Michael Pepper, Dan Lawrence, Paul Walter and Harmer himself that had a strike-rate of above 150. Consistency is still the issue for Essex, if they can start well, they stand a great chance. Bowling-wise, the left-arm pace of experience Aussie Daniel Sams will be key. Quarter-finals should be within reach. After that, it’s anyone’s guess.

PN: I believe Essex have a terrific chance of emulating their 2019 success and bringing the Vitality Blast title back to Chelmsford. They have all the bases covered and have a dynamic squad full of youth and experience.

VP: I’m excited to see how Essex get on in this year’s competition. The quarter-final defeat last season was disappointing because they’d been playing so well up until that point. With pretty much the same side as that campaign, I think if all the players are firing on all cylinders there’s no reason why the Eagles can’t be at Finals Day in July.

MS: Essex may be picking from the same squad as last year, but they will be older, wiser and a bit more experienced, especially those who have played T20 around the globe this winter. So, despite no fresh blood, a top-four finish in the group is confidently predicted, though a sixth Finals Day appearance may be hope over realism.

SW: The Eagles learnt lots of lessons in their last campaign by playing a more dynamic, maybe at times risky game. They will need to build on that to get to finals day.

TM & JM: We’re really looking forward to keeping our eye on Essex’s Blast campaign. We think it’ll be a successful one and predict that The Eagles will definitely make it out of the group stages. There’s no reason why they can’t get to finals day with their strong core squad.

JW: The Essex Squad will be very similar to last year and their consistency in selection, seems to serve them so well across all formats, with all players seemingly knowing their roles inside out. The starting XI is likely to feature lots of bowling options, which is very important at a high scoring ground like Chelmsford. We think the Essex team will have all bases covered, and are likely to be featuring towards the end of the competition once more.

Who is Essex’s one to watch?
PW: Adam Rossington. He’s a destructive opener and in great form in white-ball cricket after a winter belting it in South Africa. Unstoppable on his day.

PN: Look no further than the man who led Essex to that 2019 title in Simon Harmer as the one to watch again. He had one of the leading bowling economy rates in any side in last year’s tournament and can do it again this time.

VP: Paul Walter. He’s always been a valuable white ball player to Essex but seeing him flourish last summer was a real highlight. There are also a couple of youngsters in Robin Das and Jamal Richards who I’m excited to see more of.

MS: Paul Walter – Already been smashing the ball around in warm-up games. Second top run-scorer last season, top of the averages and, besides, T20 is his natural playground.

SW: Paul Walter. He had the best average with the bat last campaign, showing his great range and power. He also adds some variety as a tall left-arm bowler if called upon.

TM & JM: Feroze Khushi is our player to watch for the Eagles. He’s an explosive batter who’s incredibly passionate about his cricket on and off the field. He’s going to be available for the full 2023 Blast campaign making him an even more valuable asset for Essex. He also featured in one of our recent videos in which he showed his immense power!

JW: Michael Pepper had a brilliant 2022 and we see his excellent form continuing into this season. He is a modern player who can access all areas of the ground and we particularly love his ability to take on spinners with relative ease.

Last year Michael Pepper topped the run-scoring charts, who will it be this year?
PW: We saw glimpses of Dan Lawrence’s class last year. He’s due a massive T20 campaign.

PN: I would go for Dan Lawrence but think he could well be spending plenty of time with England this year so let’s make it Adam Rossington for leading run-scorer.

VP: Adam Rossington had a great winter in various T20 competitions so if he can find that form for the Eagles then I’d back him to be up there when it comes to run scoring. Also, we saw glimpses last summer of how powerfully and quickly Dan Sams can add to the total so it would be nice to see a tight contest for the title of leading run scorer.

MS: Paul Walter. I’ve already given him the build up.

SW: I think Michael Pepper will again lead the way. His ability to improvise and his 360 degree range really sets him apart.

TM & JM: Although we think Khushi could have a fantastic season, it’s tricky to look past Michael Pepper for total runs. He’s had a successful last two seasons and we think he’ll continue to be consistent this season in the top order.

JW: Adam Rossington has been in brutal touch over the winter. He should be looking to lead the way.

And which Eagle will pick up the most wickets?
PW: Daniel Sams with the new ball is the one for me.

PN: Simon Harmer again, he’s the key man.

VP: Sam Cook with the ball – do I need to say anymore? An integral part of the Essex team across all formats but he continues to go from strength to strength and I’d like to see him continue the white ball form he showed last summer in this year’s Blast.

MS: Matt Critchley. He was brilliant before his injury last year.

SW: I’m backing Matt Critchley. A good leggie is always a key cog in a bowling attack. Matt seems to be maturing into something really good.

TM & JM: Matt Critchley as well. He’s a golden arm.

JW: It’s hard to ignore Sam Cook for this one.

Who are the four favourites to progress from the South Group? (In no particular order)
PW: Surrey, Somerset, Kent Spitfires, Essex.

PN: Essex, Surrey, Somerset, Hampshire Hawks.

VP: Essex, Surrey, Sussex Sharks and I think Hampshire Hawks can recover from the opening defeat.

MS: Surrey, Hampshire Hawks, Somerset, Essex.

SW: Hampshire Hawks, Essex, Sussex Sharks, Kent Spitfires.

TM & JM: Somerset, Essex, Surrey, Kent Spitfires.

JW: Essex, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex Sharks.

And of all of the players in the south, who’s the one to keep an eye on?
PW: Will Jacks at Surrey is a serious talent.

PN: If I’m going outside Essex I’ll go for Hampshire’s James Vince.

VP: Shadab Khan for Sussex. They don’t have Rashid Khan this season but he’ll be more than useful with the bat and ball.

MS: Jamie Smith at Surrey – Seen at Chelmsford at the start of May in a face-saving grind for a Championship draw. But he is more than capable of slapping the ball long and high over the ropes.

SW: Benny Howell. One of the most awkward bowlers to face in T20.

TM & JM: In the south group, we’re really excited to watch Tom Kohler-Cadmore at Somerset. He’s got some serious flair when he bats, loves hitting sixes, and we expect him to make Taunton look very small!

JW: Will Jacks is simply the future of English white ball cricket. An unbelievable striker of the ball who has developed his bowling enormously in the last couple of seasons. What a player!

It’s an impossible question, but if you were to pick a winner now who would it be?
PW: Surrey, Birmingham Bears and Lancashire Lightning are the favourites. Sussex Sharks, Essex and Somerset are dark horses.

PN: Essex!

VP: Lancashire Lightning have a lot of fire power in their squad and that narrow defeat in last year’s final to spur them on. But Essex have been the underdogs before so I’d love to see them lift that trophy again!

MS: Lancashire Lightning.

SW: Lancashire Lightning.

TM & JM: Lancashire Lightning.

JW: Surrey

Essex Second XI: : Feroze Khushi, Michael Pepper, Matt Critchley, Paul Walter, Tom Westley, Shane Snater, Aron Nijjar, Adam Rossington (wk), Doug Bracewell, Ben Allison, Sam Cook (c)

Surrey Second XI: Dom Sibley, Ryan Patel, Ben Geddes (c), Josh Blake (wk), Nico Reifer, Nick Kimber, Dan Moriarty, James Taylor, Nathan Barnwell, Yusuf Majid, Amar Virdi

Match Details:

Umpires: M Johnson and RD Parker
Toss: Essex won the toss and elected to bowl
Result: Essex Second XI won by four wickets

Scorecard: View here

Match Report:

With their Vitality Blast campaign looming just over the horizon, Essex fielded another strong side for their Second XI T20, South Group encounter with Surrey’s second string at Garon Park.

On a bright and breezy afternoon, a small, enthusiastic crowd congregated at the Southend venue, keen to get a glimpse of some of their Essex favourites.

Having taken the ball, the home side restricted Surrey to 140 for six, with Doug Bracewell returning impressive figures of two for four from his two-over spell.

Ben Allison claimed 2/26, while Paul Walter and Sam Cook were also amongst the wickets. Surrey skipper Ben Geddes top-scored for the visitors with 48 off 38 balls. Dom Sibley contributed 32 and Nico Reifer 25 for the visitors.

The Surrey attack made a fist of things, with Nathan Barnwell taking 2/30 and Yousef Majid 2/31. However, Essex reached their target with twelve balls to spare.

Feroze Khushi finished unbeaten on 42 off 40 during a productive 42-minutes in the middle. Michael Pepper hit 23 before retiring not out.

Aron Nijjar concluded the contest with successive boundaries of the bowling of James Taylor.

Earlier this month Sporting Memories welcomed back former England and Essex opener Graham Gooch to one of our Sporting Memories sessions supported by Essex Cricket in the Community, the home of Dagenham and Redbridge FC.

Graham was joined by over 40 people from the local community in attendance, including members from our weekly club held at the ground, as well as Cllr Saima Ashraf, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Leadership & Engagement.

Graham had the audience in rapture as he spoke about his early life growing up in Leyton and playing cricket across Essex, before moving on to share stories from his professional career in the game on a domestic and international level.

Members of the audience in attendance were also given the opportunity to ask Graham about his career, how he mentally prepared to bat as well as the posing a question around the future of test cricket.

As the session came to a close, Graham was then asked to present Club Facilitator, Brian Tunney, with a special award on behalf of Essex Cricket for his volunteering efforts in the local community.

Arfan Akram, East London Cricket Operations Manager for Essex Cricket, said: “The collaboration with Sporting Memories is so important for us. We know the past few years have been tough for older people – facing isolation and loneliness due to the pandemic, so we thought it work well in terms of creating some form of community and social inclusion for people across east London and Essex.

“The event was a celebration of all the hard work that has been put in to getting the club up and running in Dagenham, and to have the legend that is Graham Gooch to talk about his career has been brilliant.”

Ireland make their return to Chelmsford for three days this week to face Essex in this year’s Tourist match. The match is part of the build up to Ireland’s Test match against England, which takes place next month at Lord’s.

The match will be an opportunity for some of our talented youngsters to feature with Academy prospect Noah Thain in line to make his first-class debut for the Club after the 18-year-old signed a rookie summer contract this week.

Members’ Committee Meet & Greet

Members are invited to meet the Members’ Committee during the lunch break in the Graham Gooch Executive Box on Days 1 and 2 of this week’s match.

Millie Dillane, Piyush Somaiya and Millie Dillane were elected onto the newly formed Committee at the latest Annual General Meeting and this will be an opportunity to discuss matters regarding Membership at the Club.

Open Ground Trial

The Club will continue to trial an open ground for this match, permitting all spectators to walk around the full concourse area with better access to the Club Store and other facilities. 

Members will still have exclusive access to dedicated Members’ seating areas which will be located in the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper Stand. All other seating areas in the ground will be available for both Members and general public.

Please note that seating for all three days of this fixture is unallocated so will be available on a first come, first served basis.

Gates Opening Times:

Gates open from 10am via the Main Entrance on New Writtle Street or alternatively, the Tees River Gate which is the closest entrance from Chelmsford City Centre and Chelmsford Bus/Train Stations.

Scheduled Hours of Play:

Toss (Day One): 10:30am
Morning Session: 11am-1pm
Afternoon Session: 1:40pm-3:40pm
Evening Session: 4pm-6pm
Scheduled Close of Play: 6pm

Members Entry & Matchday Tickets:

The Tourist match is part of the 2023 Membership and Members are required to scan their card on the gate.

Supporters visiting individual matchdays can purchase tickets in advance to save on the price and speed up your entry into the ground. Reduced priced tickets are available at £14 Adults, £11 Students/Young Adults (18-25) and £5 Juniors (U18s).

These can be purchased online via the following link or alternatively by phone (01245 254010) in person at The Cloud County Ground.

Tickets will also be available on the gates from 10am each day and this is strictly card sales only. Post-lunch tickets are available priced at £11 Adults, with entry free of charge after the scheduled Tea break.

Matchday Purchases:

The Cloud County Ground is a cashless ground, which includes purchasing tickets on the gates, scorecards on the gates, and on food and drink purchases in the Doug Insole Pavilion and concourse areas. Find out more – here

Please note that the Essex Cricket Store is the only location on-site which accepts cash payments.

Scorecards will be available using contactless payment on the entry gates priced at £1, however cash sales will be accepted in the Essex Cricket Store if required.

Accessibility:

Accessible parking:
Accessible car parking spaces are located at The Cloud County Ground and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Accessible Seating:
Accessible seating can be found in the Hayes Close End of the ground and a wheelchair-accessible platform is located in Block One of the Tom Pearce Stand.

Carers can enter the ground on a companion ticket which is free of charge. This is upon the presentation in the Membership & Ticketing Office or on the gate with proof of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people under 16 years old.

We can also accept a Blue Badge and Access card.

Accessible Toilets:
Wheelchair-accessible toilets are located behind the main scorecard (Red Area), rear of the Doug Insole Pavilion (Blue Area) and adjacent to Block 25 at County Corner (Green Area).

Ahead of Your Visit:

In the event of adverse weather conditions on the day of the match, please keep up to date with the prospects of play via the Club’s Twitter and Facebook channels.

Please note that the Prospect of Play phone line is no longer in use and all updates will be available online.

Travel:

Parking:
• Spectators travelling by car will need to locate a public car park in the proximity of the ground as there is no parking available on-site at The Cloud County Ground.

• The High Chelmer multi-storey will be open across all three days and however will be closing at 6pm Sunday (Day Three).

• Meteor Way will be open for Members and open three hours before the start of play and on a first-come, first-served basis.

Public Transport:
• Chelmsford Bus Station is situated on Duke Street, next to Chelmsford Train Station, with connections to all over the County. Alternatively, bus numbers 13, 46 and C1 shuttles, stop on New London Road, which is approximately a two-minute walk to the Ground, via New Writtle Street.

• Chelmsford Railway Station is operated by Greater Anglia and is an approximate 10-minute walk from The Cloud County Ground. Regular direct train services depart from Chelmsford to London, Stratford, Shenfield, Romford, Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich. Chelmsford is situated on the Liverpool Street to Norwich mainline.

Ground Entry:

Spectators are able to enter the ground via the Main Gate located on New Writtle Street or through the Tees River Gate.

Members:
• The Doug Insole Pavilion is open for Members upon the presentation of a valid Membership card and accessible by entering the ground through the Main Gate.

• Members are not required to pre-book a match ticket and can enter by scanning their Membership card on the gate. If you require a replacement card, please get in contact with the Membership & Ticketing Office before the fixture to arrange a replacement or this may cause delays on entry for you and other spectators.

• Entry to this fixture is included in 2023 Membership and encourage Members to arrive in plenty of time to secure your seat. Seating is Unallocated and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• The Club will be trialling an open ground for this match allowing spectators to walk around the whole concourse area at The Cloud County Ground with access to the Club shop and other facilities.

Members will still have access to dedicated Members’ seating areas which will be located in the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper Stand. All other seating areas in the ground will be available for Members and general public.

General Public Seating:

• Supporters who have purchased tickets can enter the ground by scanning the QR on your tickets that has been sent to you via email following your purchase. If you choose to print out your ticket, please ensure that the match details (including name and seat details) are included as per the image below. Make sure you have your match ticket available on your phone or printed out so it is easily accessible for ticket scanning on arrival. Please do not take a ‘screen grab’ of your QR code as that will not be read by the scanners.

• Ticket holders can sit in all areas of the ground for this match as part of a new seating trial, except for the Doug Insole Pavilion and Tom Pearce Upper.

• In the event of rain forecast on the day of the match, spectators can bring a small umbrella into the ground but metal spiked umbrellas are not permitted.

Around the Ground:

• Spectators are welcome to enter the pitch during the lunch & tea breaks when instructed over PA or by a member of the Club’s stewarding team. Please follow the guidance to the specific areas permitted to enter and please respect the playing surface. We encourage spectators to play on the outfield but please use softballs.

• Spectators are permitted to move behind the Doug Insole Pavilion but please respect the players’ area and walkway.

• The Club have installed a new faith and reflection room. This is available to spectators throughout the duration of the match and is located within the Allen Ford Graham Gooch Cricket Centre.

• The Club Store and Membership & Ticketing Office will be open for spectators for the duration of your visit.

• The Peter Edwards Museum & Library is located on-site adjacent to the Essex Cricket Store and will be open for the duration of the game.

• If you experience any anti-social or discriminatory behaviour during your visit to The Cloud County Ground then, please contact your nearest steward. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or text ‘CROWD’ including your stand and issue to 60066.

Food & Drink:

• The Doug Insole Pavilion will be serving a wide range of hot and cold drinks from the bar. A choice of snacks will also be available to purchase.

• Anne’s Pantry will be offering a choice of home-cooked meals, cakes/snacks, and drinks from their refreshment kiosks located in the Hayes Close End and River End.

They will be serving a range of meals suitable for all dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free, as well as children’s portions.

• Other refreshment kiosks include bar areas located at either end of the ground in County Corner and Spinners Bar.

• Spectators can bring food and drink into the ground for this fixture. A limit of four cans of beer/lager or one bottle of wine per person but there’s strictly no glass or sharp objects permitted into the ground.

• Please note that The Cloud County Ground is a cashless ground, so please make sure you bring a suitable method of payment for your visit.

Leaving the Ground:

At the conclusion of the day’s play, we ask spectators to leave the ground in a safe and patient manner. Stewards will be on hand to help direct you safely out of the ground.

We hope you have an enjoyable visit to The Cloud County Ground and further information regarding the match, including squad announcements and a full match preview will be available on essexcricket.org.uk ahead of the match.

Get in touch with us by email if you have any further questions at [email protected] or via the Club’s official Twitter and Facebook channels.

Watch The Action On the Move

Our Live Stream will be available for spectators with multi-angled ball tracking, replays and commentary over the three days. Head to the Essex Cricket Matchzone to watch the action live ahead of the toss on Day One, plus view an interactive scorecard, stats and individual match clips.

>> Visit Matchzone

Ahead of Essex’s three-day tourist fixture against Ireland and the beginning of the Vitality Blast next Tuesday, the Club can provide an injury update on the squad.

Luc Benkenstein:

The young all-rounder has a stress fracture in his back. He is currently rehabbing and resting under the guidance of the Medical Team.

Aaron Beard:

Aaron is currently rehabbing after suffering from a side strain. He is completing a back to bowling plan and is currently not match ready yet so will miss the beginning of the Vitality Blast campaign.

Ben Allison:

The 23-year-old sustained a minor side injury which has ruled him out of the recent Championship matches but is now recovering well. The Medical team are taking precautionary measures with him and will continue to be assessed ahead of the Vitality Blast competition.

The Club will release further updates in the near future across all social platforms and on the Essex Cricket website.

Essex v Ireland
Tourist Match (first-class)
Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford
Friday 26 – Sunday 28 May
11am Start

Essex welcome Ireland to Chelmsford in a three-day Tourist fixture in the lead up to their one off Test Match at Lord’s against England next week.

The hosts come off the back of a draw away at Trent Bridge against Nottinghamshire but will put out a much changed side against Ireland.

Ireland return to CM2 after taking on Bangladesh in three ODI’s earlier this month. Four Ireland squad members will feature for the hosts with the majority of the Essex T20 regulars taking part in Second XI fixtures in preparation for the beginning of the Club’s Vitality Blast campaign.

Squad:

There are a number of changes to the Essex squad to face Ireland, with several players preparing for the beginning of the Vitality Blast campaign. Noah Thain who signed his first rookie summer contract earlier this week is in line to make his debut.

Four Ireland squad players will also play for Essex in preparation for their Test Match against England at Lord’s.

Cricket Ireland today confirmed Paul Stirling will join the Ireland Men’s squad on 27 May and play Day Two and Three of the match.

Stirling, who is currently playing on a short-term contract as an overseas layer with Warwickshire County Cricket Club in the T20 Blast, will play Friday’s fixture against Leicestershire Foxes before travelling to Essex to join the Ireland Test squad.

Ireland squad: Andrew Balbirnie (c), Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Tom Mayes, Andrew McBrine, James McCollum, PJ Moor, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.

The Opposition:

The game, which takes place between Friday 26 and Sunday 28 May, will be Ireland’s final preparation before their stand-alone Test Match against England at Lord’s.

Andrew Balbirnie’s side are gearing up for a return to Test Match cricket after their last thrilling outing at Lord’s in 2019, where they reduced England to 85 all out in their first innings before a second innings comeback saw England win by 143 runs.

Ireland return to Chelmsford after recently taking on Bangladesh at The Cloud County Ground in three ODI’s. The visitors were in need of a 3-0 series victory to qualify for the World Cup later this year, but their hopes were quickly dashed after the opening game was washed out.

Essex Injury Update:

Luc Benkenstein:

The young all-rounder has got a stress fracture in his back. He is currently rehabbing and resting.

Aaron Beard:

Aaron is currently rehabbing after suffering from a side strain. He is completing a back to bowling plan and is currently not match ready yet.

Ben Allison:

The 23-year-old had a minor side injury and is recovering well. The Medical team are taking precautionary measures with him.

How To Watch:

If you’re unable to attend, the game will be streamed live and available to watch via the Essex Cricket Matchzone.

Watching from afar? A live stream will be available on all three days of the game via the Club’s Matchzone or Essex Cricket TV YouTube channel.

We’ve teamed up with sports hydration company WOW HYDRATE to offer the chance for one Club to win a dream night out at the cricket during Essex’s Vitality Blast fixture against Somerset on Monday 19 June, 7pm.

If you attend Monday’s match against Somerset with your Club, you’ll be entered into a competition to win two months worth of WOW HYDRATE sports hydration drinks for your team and your group will be upgraded from general allocation seats to an Executive Box for the night.

As well as this, you box will be filled with WOW HYDRATE drinks and you’ll have the chance to feature on the big screen and live stream. Plus, there will be some extra surprises to delight the cricket badgers amongst you.

To be entered into the competition you must book as a group of 10 or more, but you can take advantage of our group saver offer which gets you 10 tickets for the price of 8. You will receive one entry to the competition per ticket purchased, so the bigger the crowd the higher your chances of winning.

How to enter

To enter, call our Ticket Office on 01245 254010 and book 10 or more tickets to Essex’s T20 against Somerset and let a member of the team know that you’re part of the Club night offer. Remember, more tickets = more entries. Also make sure to let us know what club you play for when you book tickets, and wearing the club shirt is encouraged! While this is an offer for Clubs, your party may consist of friends of the Club, there are no age restrictions.

The Winner

We’ll announce the winner on Monday 12 June. They’ll be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to confirm they’re accepting the prize. Their group will then be able to watch the match from an executive box, which will be filled with WOW HYDRATE goodies. You’ll also have the chance to feature on our live stream and on the big screen! Food will be available to purchase on the night.

The Rules

This offer is only valid for the game on Monday 19 June against Somerset. In order to qualify, the booking has to be for 10 or more people and you’ll need to book over the phone. The booker must be over the age of 18.

Essex welcomes Ireland’s Men’s side to The Cloud County Ground on Friday where the teams will meet in a three-day first-class fixture.
The match will serve as preparation for Ireland’s 4-Day Test match at Lord’s from June 1-4.

Ireland return to Chelmsford after their recent three-match ODI series against Bangladesh earlier this month. The first match was abandoned before the Bangladeshis claimed narrow victories in the remaining two matches winning with three balls to spare and then by 5 runs in the third contest.

During the series of matches, the ‘Men in Green’ showed they have a squad brimming with talent with some impressive individual performances with both bat and ball.

Richard Holdsworth, High Performance Director for Cricket Ireland, expressed his delight with the fixture at Chelmsford.

“A key addition to our playing schedule in 2023 is our return to red-ball cricket, and we would like to thank Essex County Cricket Club and the ECB for hosting us for a first-class fixture in the lead-up to our Test match at Lord’s,” he said.

Essex has previously met Ireland on four occasions although all were in One-Day matches. In 1997, the intended clash at Downpatrick in the Benson & Hedges Cup was abandoned due to rain without a ball bowled.

The following season and again in the B&H Cup, Essex entertained Ireland at Chelmsford winning by 171 runs after posting a mammoth 359 for 7 from their 50 overs. The chief run-scorer was Darren Robinson who struck 114, whilst main support was provided by Nasser Hussain (71) and Ronnie Irani (69). Ireland had reached 188 for 7 when their innings closed as Neil Williams and Paul Grayson shared 4 wickets.

The next meeting was in 2006 however this time in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy. The match produced another comprehensive success for the county side as Ireland were dismissed for 192 with Ryan ten Doeschate returning 4/49 from 9 overs. In reply, despite Essex losing opener Irani without a run on the board, Alastair Cook and Grant Flower cruised to a second wicket stand worth 163 runs before Flower departed for 61. There were no further incursions as Essex enjoyed a winning margin of 8 wickets with Cook 90 not out.

A year on in 2007 and Essex returned from the match in Dublin having recorded a 7-wicket success in the Friends’ Provident Trophy. The hosts had scored 227 for 5, their highest List A total against Essex, but a third wicket partnership worth 180 between Irani and Ravi Bopara took the county to the brink of victory. Bopara was eventually dismissed for a run-a-ball 101 that included 2 sixes and 12 fours leaving captain Irani, who opened the innings and posted an unbeaten 90, to collect the remaining two runs needed to complete victory.

Essex Second XI: : FIN Khushi, RJ Das, MS Pepper (WK), MJJ Critchley, PI Walter, T Westley, SR Harmer (Capt), S Snater, JA Richards, ASS Nijjar, JA Porter

Sussex Second XI: TGR Clark, AGH Orr, Shadab Khan, RS Bopara (Capt), JM Coles, HD Ward, FJ Hudson-Prentice, A Karvelas, OJ Carter (WK), TS Mills, AD Lenham

Match Details:

Umpires: M Newell and J Flatley
Toss: Sussex won the toss and elected to bowl
Result: Sussex Second XI won by five wickets

Scorecard: View here

Match Report:

A strong Essex second string was on the wrong end of the result as their Sussex counterparts won an entertaining Second XI T20, South Group encounter staged at Horsham Cricket Club.

The Essex innings concluded off the first delivery of their final over. Paul Walter followed up his 78 against Kent twenty-four hours earlier with another 70 off 37 balls. His fiery 45-minute stint included five 6s and five 4s.

Michael Pepper and Tom Westly each contributed 28, and Feroze Khushi 22. Meanwhile, Fynn Hudson-Prentice returned figures of four for 34 from his four overs, while Shadab Khan took 3/21. Sussex set 185 to win

Sussex’s Ali Orr hit a world record-equaling twelve-ball half-century when the sides met at Garon Park, Southend twelve months ago. The left-handed batter was somewhat less successful on this occasion with Shane Snater taking a catch off his own bowling to send the 22-year-old back for 4.

Indeed, a day previous, the home side had scored an enormous 324 for seven in beating Middlesex by 194 runs. Former Essex man, Ravi Bopara scored 144 off 49 balls. This time, he had to be content with 47 before he was caught by Pepper off Jamal Richards.

Snater was the pick of the Essex attack, with 2/17 from two overs, while Critchley claimed 2/34 from four. However, Sussex chased down their target with three overs to spare. Hudson-Prentice hit a boundary off Critchley to conclude the contest.